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Vanessa Williams, Global Ambassador

Recording Artist and Actress

About Vanessa

Vanessa Williams is one of the most
respected and multi-faceted performers in the entertainment
industry today.

Having sold over 25 million records
worldwide, Vanessa is one of just a few artists to score #1
and Top 10 hits on Billboard's Album and Singles charts in the
combined areas of Pop, Dance, R&B, Adult Contemporary, Holiday,
Latin, Gospel and Jazz - the latter is where her latest release,
"TheReal Thing," debuted at #1 in June
of 2009.

Her critically acclaimed work in
film, television, recordings and the Broadway stage has been
recognized by every major industry award affiliation including 4
Emmy nominations, 17 Grammy nominations (of which 11 were for her
individually), a Tony nomination, 3 SAG award
nominations, 6 NAACP Image Awards, 3 Satellite Awards and
ultimately a Golden Globe, Grammy and an Oscar for Best
Original Song for her platinum
single "Colors of the Wind," from the Disney
film Pocahontas.

Vanessa also achieved a career
pinnacle with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Her autobiography, "You Have No
Idea," co-written with her mother Helen Williams, was a
New York Times Best Seller in 2012. Vanessa returns to Broadway
this spring starring along side Cicely Tyson and Cuba Gooding, Jr
in "Trip To Bountiful."

A strong advocate for equal rights,
especially concerning the gay community and minorities, Vanessa
recently received the Human Rights Campaign "Ally
forEquality" Award for her humanitarian
contributions.

Vanessa is the mother of four -
Melanie, Jillian, Devin and Sasha and divides her time between
homes in Los Angeles and New York. Her charitable endeavors
are many and varied, embracing and supporting such organizations as
Special Olympics and several others.

Videos and Photos

Videos and Photos

Special Olympics Blog

The Start of the Solution

Young people from around the globe with and without intellectual disabilities are coming together at the SOGenUin Summit as part of the 2015 Special Olympics World Summer Games with one goal - to change the world.